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H.Y.P.E. program gets $150K Effort provides educational opportunities in Sumter County BY RAYTEVIA EVANS ray@theitem.com A loud cheer from more than 700 people went up in Trinity Missionary Baptist Church’s sanctuary Thursday evening when the Sumter County legislative delegation presented a $150,000 check to the Helping Youth Pursue Excellence after-school program. Reps. David Weeks, D-Sumter, and Murrell Smith, R-Sumter, and Sens. Thomas McElveen, D-Sumter, and Kevin Johnson, D-Clarendon, said they are in full support of H.Y.P.E.’s effort to provide education and enrichment opportunities for the youth in Sumter County. Mayor Joe McElveen introduced the Sumter County leg-
islative delegation before they presented the check during the program’s 15th Annual Lights On Afterschool event, stating that it makes him feel amazing to see children in Sumter County being cared for and educated in Sumter schools and after-school programs. He also encouraged the students to read as often as they can and said if they master reading, they can do anything. “This is good. It makes me feel wonderful to see kids here doing what they should — enjoying life, happy and learning,” Mayor McElveen said. “H.Y.P.E. brings parents into the equation, and the City of Sumter is also proud to be a part of this. Basically we pro-
vide the HOPE Centers for H.Y.P.E. to use, but it’s all Mr. (Barney) Gadson and his team making it all happen. And like I always tell children, I will say read, read, read. You can go anywhere in a book, and if you learn how to read and do it well, you can do whatever you want in life.” Weeks said Sumter County’s legislative delegation — or Team Sumter — were able to get something in the state budget this year to continue to help H.Y.P.E. The team of legislators commended Gadson, RAYTEVIA EVANS / THE SUMTER ITEM project director, and his team Rep. David Weeks, Sens. Thomas McElveen and Kevin Johnson and of teachers, mentors, site directors and administrative as- Rep. Murrell Smith talk to more than 700 people about the H.Y.P.E. program at Trinity Missionary Baptist Church on Thursday. The legislasistants on the work they do
tive delegation presented a $150,000 check, which came from the SEE H.Y.P.E., PAGE A7 state budget, to continue efforts of the after-school program.
Dillon will be home to dog park
Questions remain in fatal hit and run Authorities still search for driver who killed retired schoolteacher BY MATT BRUCE matthew@theitem.com
PHOTOS BY MATT WALSH / THE SUMTER ITEM
Dog owners will be happy to know that an area at Dillon Park near the National Guard post will soon be home to a dog park.
Our 4-legged friends will soon have new place to run and play BY JOE KEPLER joe@theitem.com
D
illon Park is going to the dogs. The Sumter County Parks and Recreation Department is building a new dog park to meet the needs of the community. The new installation will feature separate fenced-in areas for small dogs and large dogs to ensure the safety of pets and owners alike. The bathrooms will be remodeled, a new parking area is scheduled, and fencing is already starting to go up at the park. “We still have some stuff out to bid; we haven’t set a timeline for it, but it will probably be in the next few months,” said Phil Parnell, assistant recreation director for the county. The park will be located at the southern main entrance, off North Pike West by the National Guard post. Benches will be available for owners to sit and keep a careful eye on their pet, and on the “dog days” of summer there will be water fountains of the human and ca-
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nine varieties available at the site. For Parnell, this new project will meet the needs of a growing community, owners and non-owners alike. “We’ve had a lot of calls about this. It’s something we felt like we needed to do,” Parnell said. “We see a lot of people go out on the ball fields, close the gates and
let their dogs runs around on them, so maybe this will help cut that down.” He added that there are no plans to add designated dog parks to any other area parks, but the new Dillon Park improvements are sure to make life a little less “ruff” for Sumter’s fourlegged friends.
DEATHS, A7 Patricia Williams Delois J. Pack Evelyn McPherson Willie Mae Bradley
Jimmie L. Choice Louise Dennis William Ridgeway Jr. Esther Mae Richardson
Jeanette Harrison was remembered as a loving woman, a devout Christian and a devoted wife who spent more than three decades of her life teaching schoolchildren in Sumter County. Two years have passed since a yet-to-be-identified driver struck and killed her at an intersection along East Calhoun Street near HARRISON Tuomey Regional Medical Center. And the impact of the fatal hit-and-run collision left an indelible scar on the Sumter community. Sumter Police Chief Russell Roark III reflected on the tragic incident before this weekend’s anniversary, assuring community members that the police department has not forgotten Harrison. “Regardless of whether you knew her as a teacher, friend, family or church member, or as someone you didn’t know but often saw walking down a local street, this accident had an impact on this community,” Roark said in the news statement released Friday. The hunt continues for the motorist who fatally injured Harrison, hitting the 70-yearold Aiken County native in a dark-colored vehicle and speeding away from the scene, leaving her for dead. No suspects have been developed in the investigation, but police pledge to continue pursuing all leads to a long-awaited arrest in the case.
SEE HARRISON, PAGE A7
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